Scalable, animated Web HMI applications

Just as sports fans use Internet-capable devices to get the latest information about favorite teams, manufacturers can remotely monitor plant-floor operations status with FactoryTalk ViewPoint software from Rockwell Automation. It is among the first commercially available, thin-client applications for manufacturing built using the new Microsoft Silverlight technology.

Just as sports fans use Internet-capable devices to get the latest information about favorite teams, manufacturers can remotely monitor plant-floor operations status with FactoryTalk ViewPoint software from Rockwell Automation. It is among the first commercially available, thin-client applications for manufacturing built using the new Microsoft Silverlight technology. The initial release extends visualization and real-time decision capabilities beyond FactoryTalk View clients to browser-based remote users. The software supports scalable and animated Web displays of existing FactoryTalk View Site Edition (SE) and Allen-Bradley PanelView Plus applications from the office, home or on the road via any Internet browser. The initial release is Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) compatible; additional browser and device support is planned. IE's active hyperlinks and the navigational functionality deliver an interactive experience in addition to typical browser functionality such as Favorites, and Forward and Back navigation buttons.

Mobility is increasingly important to manufacturers, the company says, creating a demand for access to FactoryTalk View applications from different devices for managers, OEMs, and system integrators. Initially offered as an add-on for existing FactoryTalk View customers, Microsoft Silverlight (used by NBC to air Olympics videos online) is said to deliver rich, interactive applications on multiple Web browsers and mobile devices. It loads and updates automatically, making it easier for users, and lowering the total cost of ownership, without client software to install or maintain. www.rockwellautomation.com

Annual Salary Survey

Before the calendar turned, 2016 already had the makings of a pivotal year for manufacturing, and for the world.

There were the big events for the year, including the United States as Partner Country at Hannover Messe in April and the 2016 International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago in September. There's also the matter of the U.S. presidential elections in November, which promise to shape policy in manufacturing for years to come.

But the year started with global economic turmoil, as a slowdown in Chinese manufacturing triggered a worldwide stock hiccup that sent values plummeting. The continued plunge in world oil prices has resulted in a slowdown in exploration and, by extension, the manufacture of exploration equipment.